Car doesn’t accelerate

ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. Sorry to hear of your difficulty with your 2012 Sonic. The good news is your Check Engine Light is on, so what means the fault has been "recorded" by the engine computer and diagnostic codes will be available to the mechanic to search for the fault. The codes don’t necessarily indicate which "parts" have failed but rather will indicate which systems are malfunctioning and causing poor operation of the engine. Individual components in these systems will then have to be tested by the mechanic. The traction codes may or may not be related to the issue with the engine, the poor acceleration, but those traction codes will have to be evaluated as well. It is possible there is more than one problem. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect your vehicle for you and download codes your car computer has stored, and make or suggest any repairs as needed.

ANSWER : Hi there. What had happened is the wrong key set the security to the vehicle. This is to prevent the vehicle from starting with the wrong keys. Try removing the battery cables (+) and (-) for 13 minutes. During that time, put the original key in the ignition and turn it on. Activate everything in the car even though there is no power. Then remove the key and hook up the battery cables. The computer should have reset and reset the security. If the security is still being tripped, then I recommend seeking out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you

ANSWER : It is very possible that the engine has been damaged beyond repair. Usually when the oil light goes on and the vehicle is low on oil, especially when a loud noise is heard right before the vehicle died, it is very likely that the engine is blown and would require replacement in order to continue driving the vehicle. I would recommend having the vehicle checked with a no start inspection. Consider YourMechanic as this service can be completed at your home or office.

ANSWER : Hi There,
What you are describing sounds like you may have a clogged catalytic converter. The catalytic converter converts toxic exhaust gases into less harmful pollutants that are suitable to be expelled into the atmosphere. When the catalytic converter is clogged, this causes these gases to be backed up into the exhaust system not allowing the engine to breathe properly. When this happens, the engine is forced to work much harder to expel these gases. This often results in the engine bogging down, hesitating, shaking and causing very poor fuel economy. This should also cause a check engine light to come on as the O2 sensors should be reading the incorrect amounts of oxygen in the exhaust gases if this is your problem. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and replace your catalytic converter.

ANSWER : Knowing the results of the computer diagnosis as well as the part that was replaced can be helpful in assisting you with your Pontiac G3. It is possible the part that was replaced is defective and may need to be replaced. Based on what you described with your vehicle, it appears that you may be experiencing transmission issues.

The engine should never be revved up to six to seven thousand RPMs when the vehicle is not moving, as this can cause damage to the vehicle’s components. Because the information provided is a little unclear, it is hard to determine if you are having concerns with your transmission or if the problem lies with the engine itself.

If you don’t trust going back to the same mechanic that worked on your car originally, get yourself a second opinion and enlist the help of one of our certified mechanics who can diagnose why the Check Engine Light is on as well as determine why your Pontiac is not accelerating. They will also be able to assist you with the repairs needed to get your G3 up and running again.

ANSWER : Hi there. From what you are saying it sounds like there is a failure in the throttle body. When the motor in the throttle body fails, the throttle plate will open and close causing the noise you are hearing. I usually monitor the movement of the throttle to see if this is what is occurring. I then scan the computer for codes to see what comes up. If there are not any codes then the sensors in the throttle body should be monitored to see what is going wrong. If you want to have this lack of throttle response checked, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose and repair your throttle body issue.

ANSWER : Engine misfires can be caused by many different problems and are generally caused by either a spark or fuel issue or in some cases, a combination of both. Spark related problems generally will result from things like ignition coils, crankshaft position sensor, spark plugs, spark plug wires or ignition modules not working properly. When the misfire results from a fuel related issue, this is commonly related to a lean fuel condition (lack of sufficient fuel supply to the motor). Fuel related misfires can be caused by many different things such as low fuel pressure, faulty or dirty fuel injectors, a faulty O2 sensor, a dirty or failing mass air-flow sensor, a faulty or dirty idle air control valve or a vacuum or intake leak. When the fuel supplied to the combustion chamber is insufficient, this results in an ignition (spark) that is igniting a less than balanced load of fuel and air. This results in a misfire or an explosion in the cylinder that is much less powerful than the other cylinders. This creates a loss of power that resonates throughout the motor additionally causing other problems with ignition and fuel timing. Due to the number of different things that may cause an engine misfire, the quickest and easiest way to diagnose this type of problem is to hook the vehicle up to a scanning tool which will download any potential fault codes that may have registered in the vehicle’s computer as a result of the poor running condition. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your misfiring problem.

ANSWER : Hello and thank you for contacting YourMechanic. Check the ground wire from the main engine to frame ground to the right side engine mount. If this wire is corroded or loose, this will cause the engine to loose power on acceleration. Also, check the throttle position sensor (TPS) for any damage or loose wire connections. If the wires are all in good condition on the engine and the TPS, then I recommend replacing the TPS. If you need further assistance troubleshooting your vehicle, then seek out a technician, such as one from YourMechanic, to diagnose the vehicle’s loss of power and proceed with any needed repairs.